The city of Newton, Kansas, sits on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route, which runs from L.A. to Chicago. Now, with city and state leaders pushing for the expansion of a passenger rail route north from Oklahoma, Newton could become a regional hub.

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Speaking at a Midwestern passenger rail conference, Newton Mayor Barth Hague said his city has already benefitted from its position on one of the country’s main east-west passenger rail lines.

“What’s critical to understand is that for all of the communities that are served right now by the Southwest chief, we gain a lot when that connection gets made."

If Amtrak extends the Heartland Flyer route north, Newton would be a connection to Oklahoma and Texas, too.

“All of a sudden you add to that mix the ability to go to Dallas, San Antonio, you name it, that’s really ramped up the game," Hague said.

Pete Meitzner says possible rail expansion would be good for not just Newton, but for the entire region.

"To think that Newton, Kansas, might be the epicenter of connecting lines that are east and west with north and south," said Wichita City Councilman Pete Meitzner, "it's a big deal for Newton, but I'll tell you what, it's a big deal for the whole region."

Meitzner said the annual investment Oklahoma and Texas have to make on the rail line is about $5.5 million, but with Kansas as a potential partner, the costs would be shared.

"We become a critical part and that’s why Texas and Oklahoma are very interested in getting this connected to the national route," he said. "We'd use the same train stock. We'd have incremental costs with personnel and operating costs, but we'd have great expansion of revenue."

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Two Wichita City Council members were in Oklahoma Wednesday to discuss the potential expansion of Amtrak passenger rail service through the Midwest.

Pete Meitzner and James Clendenin visited the Oklahoma State Capitol to testify before the House Transportation Committee. They shared data to support a plan to extend Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer Route from Oklahoma City up to Newton.

Speaking after the meeting, Meitzner said filling the service gap between Oklahoma and Kansas would grow Amtrak ridership on the route, which reaches Fort Worth, Texas.

Amtrak service is returning to Wichita for the first time since 1979. The company has announced new bus routes to both Newton and Oklahoma City.

According to Amtrak, the last time one of their trains had direct service to Wichita was in 1979, when the Lone Star route traveled from Houston to Chicago. Those hoping for train service to come back will have to settle for a bus.

The company announced two bus routes will connect Wichita to the Southwest Chief train, which rolls through Newton, and the Heartland Flyer, which goes through Oklahoma City.